Not roadster related but that interesting paint job Kurt K was nice enough to point out has given me some ideas on a paint job I was planning for a fixed gear project.Light golden brown,with a lamp smoked off-white head and seat tube is dancing in my head.I've never lamp smoked a frame but been told it's not too hard.I'd have to try this one out on scrap tubing first.Kurt,keep finding those interesting bits---sam by: 68.92.158.2

Intriguing paint job you mention Sam - would be very curious to see how that would look.

I must say that I can't bring myself to design any un-traditional paint jobs for an old Raleigh, my own clubbike designs usually always feature a dark blue frame w/light creme headtube and the obligatory Bluemmels mudguards.

Well here's another "bit" that I dug up on Fleabay - but it is not the bike that is as interesting as the ultimate price...$337.00:

I don't believe I've ever seen a late '60s Sports ever fech that much, men's or women's frame. To top things off, just last week, a '51 Sports chaincase in not-so-great-shape sold for $87 on the Fleabay.

But I was lucky on Sunday, and bought a women's 21" 1975 coffee Sports in very nice shape for $40, locally. Let those nuts on eBay empty their wallets - I'm not about to join them.

Bell and pedals are probably the most difficult original items to find on the all-gold editions. Last bell I saw on eBay just a day ago went for $32.00, and there's another one up for $13, one bid. Never seen the pedals available.

And yes - who doesn't like that color. I keep a semi-beater men's all-gold '71 in my collection, mostly identical to the one in the auction (save for a B72 and conventional pedals).

Does anyone know where Hercules soldered-end brake cables can be had? I have this late-50's Hercules Tourist and all it needs is new brake cables. I can probably convert to Raleigh calipers with their clamp-style or use drilled-bolt and nut clamps but I'd rather keep it original. Any source in England?

By the way, this Herc Tourist has a Herc B Type 5 3-sp hub w/Brampton Speedy-Switch. Works fine. by: 207.200.116.139

Thank you very much for your offer Kurt but Warren came thru with a pair. I rebuilt this Hercules a year ago and now I will finally be able to ride her...wheeeee!...much thanks to Warren. by: 207.200.116.136

Just make your own. Solder brass rod onto the ends of cable. I have not had any break. Plumbing solder makes the job stronger 95/5 type. Make shure the hole is drilled to a tight fit with the cable. Ed by: 152.163.100.198

Thanks for all the responses regarding the Milano. And thanks for not pouring scorn on my purchase! Interestingly the responses were along the lines of what had been going through my head at the time of purchase! Kurt, you are absolutely correct about the bars: they are by far the weakest part of the design and I even asked about having them changed when I bought the bike. They are more for aesthetics than function--give me North Roads any day. Or....any thoughts on Nitto Albatross or Dove from Riv???? The REI nexus equiped monstrosity (novara fusion) has similar bars that are actually worse! Another response was about equiping a Raleigh frame with the nexus components. Yep, I'd actually started doing just that! In my garage is a 1970's Sport to which I have fitted a Phil Wood bottom bracket (that I conveniently had kicking around in the garage) with the help of the Phil Wood Raleigh threaded rings. I'd matched that with a Sora chainset (cheap!) and ended up with a super chainline. Then I started looking into buying the nexus hub separately and building a 26" wheel on it...ohmygosh! I decided it wouldn't be worth the cost! I'm now reworking that Sport into a fixed gear! I'm with you all on the aluminium frame--wouldn't have been my first choice, 'specially with the ugly welds! However, it rides comfortably and the welds are not too conspicuous with the black finish. So, any one out there with experience convering a Raleigh Sport to fixed geaR by: 4.179.41.192

RE:MISC: Sports fixed gear posted by Warren on 8/9/2005 at 4:34:09 AM

I rode a pre Raleigh Dunelt Sports (54?) with a 52 x 16 ratio with EA3 wheels, Warning...I had 170 cranks and did a low speed swerve in downtown traffic, clipped the pedal and got launched 10 feet in the air. Painful rash. Switched to 165's and had no problems.

I also used almost all alloy components...rims, alloy Northroad bars and 110 mm stem, crankset, post and pedals. Bluemel fenders. Rack too. It was nimble, useful and fun. Great commuter and it still looked period.

Still got the frame in the garage after I scavenged parts for other bikes. Do it...I'm going to build another one soon. by: 70.51.154.220

Don't do it. the Herc hub is fine but you could look for a K-series hub nad fit (or have fitted) the innards of an AW hub because the K's were fragile and not as robust as an AW. If you have a K hub with Aw insides no one but you will know and the bicycle will be all the more enjoyable for it. Do enjoy your ride.

Matthew - back from way out west, well Weymouth! by: 217.137.109.25

RE:ENGLISH ROADSTERS: Sturmey-Archer posted by Matthew - again on 8/11/2005 at 8:55:15 PM

PS. I understood that k-series were built from 1931 to 1937 so even a K wouldn't be original for such a venerable machine as yours.

Should have read the post properly first time, whoops!Matthew by: 217.137.109.25

Thanx a bunch for the reply ! I like the idea of having a "K" shell at the very least... I dated the bike by the serial # and and the (formerly) bright parts are nickel plated which seems indicative of advanced age... The bolt shifter is marked with a "K" so that's how I got the idea that it should have that type of hub... I'm pretty new to all this though.

by: 157.150.192.237

ENGLISH ROADSTERS: Sprocket wearposted by: David on 8/8/2005 at 12:07:53 PM

How often do you replace sprockets on SA hubs?

Multispeed freewheel sprockets wear out quickly; one usually replaces both the chain and the sprockets. But sprockets on SA hubs don't seem to wear as much; at least I can't recall experiencing the chain skipping over the teeth with them. Your experience? by: 66.30.200.82

I once knew someone who wanted to run a 3/32" chain - presumably to match a road-type chainring - on a Sturmey sprocket and tried to grind it down to make it narrower. Bottom line: Sturmey sprockets are VERY hard! by: 66.80.68.54

Single speeds (SA hubs included) wear very little because of the absence of lateral forces from derailleurs. The chains, cogs and chainwheels are also larger gauge and in the case of old brit bikes, have very hard steel. Bombproof by: 70.51.132.184